Tag: Anxiety

I’ve learned…

…that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk them and hope they panic and give in.
…that no matter how much I care, some people are just assholes.
…that it takes years to build up trust, and only suspicion, not proof, to destroy it.
…that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you’d better have lots of money and proof of it.
…that you shouldn’t compare yourself to others – they are more screwed up than you think.
…that you can keep puking long after you think you’re finished.
…that we are responsible for what we do, unless we are celebrities.
…that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades, and there had better be a lot of money to take its place.
…that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re down will be the ones who do.
…that we don’t have to ditch bad friends because their dysfunction makes us feel better about ourselves.
…that no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get arrested and end up in the local paper.
…that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and all the less important ones just never go away.
…to say “Screw ’em if they can’t take a joke” in 6 languages.

Inner state of being

Anxiety is not created by your situation, or by what you must do about your situation. Anxiety is the result of your attitude and your perspective on the situation.

To be free of anxiety, you don’t necessarily have to change the situation or avoid doing anything about it. What you can do is change your attitude, your perspective and your expectations.

In fact, your attitude ultimately is not dependent on your circumstances. Your attitude is whatever you choose it to be.

As surely as you have learned to react to certain things with anxiety, you can teach yourself to respond instead with peaceful confidence. That response is just as realistic, and much more positive, healthy and enriching.

Keep in mind that it is because of your choice that you become annoyed, frustrated, angry, fearful and filled with anxiety. Keep in mind that you always have another, more positive choice.

Make it your intention to choose peace, positive purpose, confidence and generous, effective action. Your inner state of being is always your choice, so always make it the very best, most empowering one.

Cultivating the Seed Within

We can learn to locate the seed of peace inside ourselves in order to have a reliable source of serenity.

In our noisy world, we often find ourselves longing for peace and searching to find it somewhere else. While it’s true that there are places we can visit where we can experience peace, such as sacred sites or buildings, we do not need to wait until we get to one of these places to feel at peace. Instead, we can learn to locate the seed of peace inside ourselves and cultivate it so that it grows into a reliable source of serenity that we can always access, no matter where we are.

We experience peace when we are in a state of mental calm and serenity. It might surprise you to notice how infrequently you allow yourself to be free from anxiety. Realizing this is the first step to inner peace. If you wait until all the details of your life are taken care of to allow yourself to experience peace, you will never feel peaceful because there is always something that your mind can grab onto to create anxiety. It is important to consciously set aside your worries and make time to cultivate inner peace.

Ideally, you could schedule time each day to meditate on peace and experience what it feels like to be calm and serene. It takes practice to learn how to let go of your worries, so give yourself some time. Inhale deeply, and feel your worries dissolve with every exhale. Remind yourself that soon enough you will be able to take care of everything you need to, but right now you are taking a break. As the clutter of your thoughts and concerns clear away, you will start to feel more serene. Allow yourself to move deeper into this state with each inhale. Realize that you have the power to free yourself from anxiety simply by deciding to do so. The more you practice feeling peaceful, the easier it will be for you to feel at peace.

I’m not saying you have to hug anyone on ‘National Hug Your Boss Day,’ but you should create an intention to hug someone since hugging offers so many healthy benefits. One hug can increase the amount of hemoglobin in your blood, which helps to speed healing while boosting the immune system. Some recent studies reveal that hugs can make you happier, as they’re believed to increase the amount of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for reducing anxiety and inducing a state of quiet and calm. Hugs also help produce serotonin and dopamine, two more hormones that increase happiness and lift your mood. So, whether it’s your boss or not, give someone a hug today. It literally does a body good.

Writing your own story can provide an outlet which can help purge any frustration, anxiety, or long-dormant feelings.

Everyone, at one time or another, has wanted to express his or her story. Writing a memoir to read privately, share with family or friends, or publish is an emotionally satisfying way to gain perspective on your experiences and to share your unique voice. We’ve all experienced feelings and events in our lives that we are longing to write down. Giving into that urge also can provide an outlet which can help purge any frustration, anxiety, or long-dormant feelings. No one else has to read it. You may even want to write your story without reading it afterward and put it away to read in the future. Satisfying the need to tell your story is not predicated upon your writing ability. It does, however take effort to write down the truth in detail. Your memories, captured on paper as descriptive scenes, sights, sounds, and scents, may at first seem disconnected or incomplete. But rest assured that you possess the ability to shape your recollections into stories.

Writing your story is different from journaling. Everyone wants to be heard and know that they matter. Reading your story to others meets the human need to be heard. Writing your story helps validate your life. We all want to know that what we have to say matters. And when you finish writing, even you may be surprised at what you have accomplished. Your story can encompass as much or as little of your life as you prefer. You may surprise yourself with new insights, or you may find yourself exploring your roots, your identity, and your future through your words. Allow your writing to guide you and write as truthfully as possible. Don’t worry about what others will think of your personal journey, your style of writing, or your words.

Research has shown that writing a narrative filled with feelings and perceptions can create long-term health benefits. As you write, remember to express compassion and understanding toward yourself, particularly when writing about traumatic events. If you are a young person, you can add to your life story as you grow older. Your writing may even help family members know you better or understand themselves more. Most importantly, in writing your personal story, you are expressing yourself in a permanent way, giving a gift to your future self, and letting your voice be heard.

A Yoruba Recipe for Banishing Anxiety

Components:

Ham Bone

Valerian Root

Tea Ball

Instructions:

Load the tea ball with valerian root (you may also need a nose plug) and boil with the hambone until the water becomes a tea. Allow it to cool and then bathe in it, or pour it over yourself in the bath tub. Do not wash it off. Take the hambone and tie it to the back of your car so that it hangs above the road, but not drag, and drive to a place of high elevation. If you don’t live near any high elevation, any kind of hill will do. As you drive, visualize the anxiety leaving you in the form of thick, sooty smoke and being soaked up by the hambone.

When you arrive at the hill or mountain, take the hambone from the back of your car by the string or rope. DO NOT TOUCH THE HAMBONE ITSELF. Throw it from you as far as you can and then compose yourself to meditation. Still the mind, relax, and if you wish, mentally ask Yemaya (the Yoruba Orisha of the Sea and Tranquility), or any other deity/spirit you wish to be with you and bless your intentions.

After 10 to 20 minutes of meditation, leave full in the knowledge that you have banished anxiety and restlessness. As with any other form of magick,, banish with laughter or ground with a good meal and forget about the exercise.